This invention relates to shelters and more particularly to a personal shelter which is collapsible for portability.
Portable shelters are known for protecting persons from the elements including sun, wind and rain. These shelters typically include a sheeted material which is supported on a frame so as to form a shield from the elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,784 to Fast and U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,187 to Fiddler each provide a portable shelter in which a plurality of arcuate ribs are pivotal relative to one another between a collapsed position adjacent one another and an extended position in which the ribs are spread apart for supporting sheeted material thereacross. In both of these shelters however the ribs are not sufficiently durable nor is the sheeted material to be supported thereon supported under sufficient tension so as to provide adequate protection against strong winds or rain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,109 to Kent and U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,770 to Lobato each provide similar shelters in which a pair of arcuate ribs are supported in a spaced arrangement with sheeted material spanning therebetween. In both of these devices a flexible rod is provided which mounts between the ribs for providing tension to the canvass spanning between the ribs. In either device however awkward manipulation of the flexible rod is required to release the devices into a collapsed position. When used as a portable shelter the flexible rod may thus easily become separated from the shelter when collapsed. Furthermore the arrangement of the flexible rod provides limited tension to the sheeted material as the rod is required to be readily flexible for disassembly.
According to the present invention there is provided a portable shelter comprising:
a base member spanning from a front end to a rear end of the base member;
an upper frame member including;
a pair of side portions, each extending from an inner end to an outer end of the side portion, the inner ends of the respective side portions being pivotally mounted at respective laterally spaced apart locations on the base member adjacent the rear end of the base member; and
an end portion coupled between the respective outer ends of the side portions;
the upper frame member being pivotal between an extended position in which the side portions extend upwardly from the base member with the end portion being spaced above the base member and a collapsed position in which the side portions extend alongside the base member;
flexible sheeted material coupled between the base member and the upper frame member so as to span between the front end of the base member and the end portion of the upper frame member in the extended position of the upper frame member; and
a tensioning mechanism coupled between the base member and the upper frame member, the tensioning mechanism being collapsible with the upper frame member from the extended position to the collapsed position and being arranged to bias the end portion of the upper frame member away from the front end of the base member in the extended position such that the flexible sheeted material spanning between the end portion of the upper frame member and the front end of the base member is under tension in the extended position.
The arrangement of the portable shelter of the present invention permits the sheeted material to be supported under strong tension to withstand strong winds and water spray. This is particularly useful for marine applications for shielding the occupants of a boat from wind and water spray which are common when using a boat on open waters. The use of a tensioning mechanism which is collapsible provides a shelter which occupies minimal space when collapsed for portability. By collapsing the tension mechanism the mechanism may remain coupled to the base member in both extended and collapsed positions, thus removing the possibility of the parts of the shelter becoming separated when collapsed. The resulting shelter supports the sheeted material under high tension due to the collapsible tension mechanism which secures the sheeted material under maximum tension in the extended position with no further tension to the sheeted material being required to release the shelter into the collapsed position as is required in the known prior art.
The tensioning mechanism preferably remains coupled to either the upper frame member, the base member or both as the upper frame member is displaced between the extended and collapsed positions.
In the preferred embodiment, the tensioning mechanism includes first and second rigid members which are collapsible in relation to each other as the upper frame member is displaced from the extended position to the collapsed position. An overall length of the first and second rigid members is thus reduced in the collapsed position. It is preferred that the first and second rigid members be supported under compression in the extended position.
In one arrangement, the first and second rigid members may be slidably mounted one inside the other for telescoping movement between the collapsed and extended positions of the upper frame member. In this instance, a stop member is preferably coupled between the first and second rigid members in the extended position to restrict displacement of the first and second rigid members into the collapsed position. In alternative arrangements, the first and second rigid members may be pivoted in relation to one another so as to be folded into the collapsed position. In a folding arrangement, the first and second members may be pivoted over center so as to remain in the extended position with the sheeted material under tension.
In the embodiment described herein, the side portions of the upper frame member are mounted on the base member spaced forwardly from the rear end of the base member and the tensioning mechanism is coupled between the upper frame member and the base member rearward from the respective inner ends of the side portions.
In other embodiments however, the tensioning mechanism may be coupled to extend between the front end of the base member and the upper frame member. In such an embodiment, the tensioning mechanism may also provided telescoping or foldable first and second rigid members so as to bias the upper frame member away from the front end of the base member in the extended position for tensioning the sheeted material.
The tensioning mechanism in the preferred embodiment includes a rigid member arranged to extend rearward from the base member under compression in the extended position of the upper frame member and a tension member arranged to be mounted between the rigid member and the upper frame member under tension in the extended position so as to bias the end portion of the upper frame member away from the front end of the base member in the extended position.
The tension member may comprise flexible sheeted material supported under tension between the rigid member and the upper frame member in the extended position. This may be formed integrally with the sheeted material extending between the end portion of the upper frame member and the front of the base member or may be formed as a separate sheet of material.
There may be provided an intermediate frame member coupled to the base member for additionally supported the sheeted material in the extended position. The intermediate frame member would include a pair of side portions and an end portion similarly to the upper frame member and would be mounted on the base member forward of the upper frame member, also for pivotal movement between the extended and collapsed positions.
Both the upper frame member and the intermediate frame member are preferably arranged to lie generally parallel to the base member in the collapsed position. This may be accomplished by including an inner bent portion on each side portion of the upper frame member adjacent the base member which is arranged to extend upward at a rearward incline in the extended position with an outer portion extending upwardly from the inner bent portion at a forward incline in relation to the inner bent portion. The inner bent portions of the side portions of the upper frame member are thus arranged to extend over the intermediate frame member in the collapsed position.
The base member, the upper frame member and the intermediate frame member are preferably all formed of rigid material. The members may each be formed by a continuous arcuate shaped piece of aluminum tubing which has been pre-formed into the desired shape. Aluminum tubing is lightweight while providing sufficient structural rigidity.
The sheeted material preferably includes a main portion coupled between the front end of the base member and the end portion of the upper frame member and a pair of side portions spanning from respective sides of the main portion to respective sides of the base member substantially the full length of the base member.
The upper frame member may be arranged to be substantially longer between respective ends of the side portions thereof than the base member from the front end to the rear end thereof. The resulting shield may thus be sufficient in height to shield a seated person while occupying minimal floor space.
At least a portion of the sheeted material adjacent the end portion of the upper frame member is preferably formed of transparent material for visibility.
A plurality of mounts are preferably arranged to secure the base member to a supporting surface, for example the floor of a boat and the like. Each mount preferably includes a first portion arranged to be secured to a supporting surface and a second portion which mounts the base member to the first portion. With the second portion being selectively separable from the first portion the base member may be selectively released from the supporting surface.
The upper frame member is preferably suitably sized such that the sheeted material in the extended position is arranged to shield a person supported in a seated position rearward of the sheeted material. The shield is thus particularly useful in shielding a person seated in a boat from wind and water spray.